Memorable Quotes: Chiaroscuro Special Effects
Overwhelmed by the wind, the best the pilot can do is fight to point the dirigible in the vague direction of Um-Halagh's mountainside. He calls back over his shoulder, "Going down! Might be a little ro -" The swirling snow clears enough to show a very close, very real, very solid snow-streaked rock face and a broad snow-drifted ledge. The pilot panics, trying desperately to steer hard gapward - a maneuver that might have worked with all engines. But, in this case, it just flips the craft and aims the gondola peakward as the wind slams the dirigible into the peak. There's a lot of smashing, jostling and cracking of rended material. Shouts of the passengers. And then the crash and exhalation of air from the ruptured cylinder. Then: Bitter cold, snow-swirled chaos, and the consuming darkness of unconsciousness. ---- The front doors of Aerie Heights Keep burn exuberantly, along with the stack of furnishings and the severed arm of one of the servants, who's been dragged off to be treated for his grievous wound. The carcasses of two dead Wildlings are on the floor in front of the fireplace. Varal and Norran are facing them. Arturo and his crew, along with Elias, are facing the burning doors. Merielle and Sophia are huddled near the study, caught between the men making their stand. And, suddenly: CRASH! The Wildling impaled by an arrow earlier is hurled through the fire-weakened doors, and comes down in a hissing, flaming crouch near one of Arturo's men. Bits of fiery wood fly in all directions. The flaming bits of door singe Varal and Norran as they're turning toward the commotion. Arturo tries to fend off a fiery projectile, but burns his hand. Sophia, helpless, is burned on her cheek. Elias just barely ducks aside as some of the burning debris whistles past his face - so close he can feel the heat. But one of Arturo Lomasa's hirelings fares worst of all: He takes a couple of burning splinters in his eyes. Thus blinded, he can do nothing as the Wildling shreds his belly with snik-snakking claws from both hands, hissing and smoldering. The retainer gapes and collapses on the floor. And through the wreckage of the doorway, more than two dozen other Wildlings can be seen, moving closer, tentative because of the fire - but closer. ---- Muglen nods down at Gammel, and lightly presses the crowbar into the seam at the base of the horse's neck. As he does so, however, a loud humming noise precedes a ghostly blue glow emanating from within the statue. The ground rumbles thunderingly, spooking horses. "The Light Keep us..." Gammel gasps, stepping back from the Zolde Zahir statue - but not far enough. With a strange popping sound, the sculpture explodes into myriad shards. Deadly black marble missiles impale Muglen's throat and chest, Gammel's forehead and the vital organs of the other workers. Whistling through the chill night, the wreckage of the shattered statue is hurtled in all directions. category: Chiaroscuro Memorable Quotations